Ethical Leadership
Ethical leadership occurs when an individual engages in leadership that includes behavior geared towards the common good and is acceptable in all aspects of life ( Copeland, 2014) . It includes three major components which require the leader to always lead by example, always advocate for the importance of ethics and have effective communication strategies ( Copeland, 2014) . An example of this type of leadership is where the leader makes an ethical decision even when it seems that the rest of the organization does not agree with it. For instance, such a leader would choose to have an employee who acted in an unethical manner face the required consequences even when their action benefited the organization. If the employee was dishonest in portraying the potential of the organization by lying that the company would fulfill a huge requirement from a customer, when resources do not allow; the leader would make the employee face the consequences for dishonesty even when the employee managed to get the client for the company.
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership involves leadership characteristics mainly geared towards the individual service; be its his or her employees or the customer ( Copeland, 2014) . Such a leader does not focus on personal or organizational gain but works towards the benefit of others. An example is when a leader physically engages in activities that benefit his or her community such as tree-planting activities or clen-up initiatives. Here, the leader does not designate the responsibilities to employees but is present and takes part in everything that happens.
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Spiritual Leadership
This leadership involves the inclusion of spiritual principles and values in one’s leadership style. Here, the leader understands that employees need to be develop holistically and therefore considers their spiritual well-being too ( Lindberg n.d.) . An example is where such a leader provides time in the organization’s schedule for employees to engage in spiritual activities such as prayer or fellowship. Religions such as Islam would need one to engage in frequent prayers during the day. Such a leader would provide a conducive environment for such spiritual nourishment by providing time for prayer that does not interfere with organizational operations.
Authentic Leadership
Authentic leadership is founded on the leader engaging with employees or followers in a legitimate manner through the advancement of honest and ethical relationships ( Copeland, 2014) . Such a leader also values the input provided by their followers and gives room for everyone to be heard. An example is when a leader addresses an issue affecting the organization by involving all his followers other than making the decision at the management level and asking it to be enacted. For instance, if the organization is not achieving the set profits, an authentic leader would consult all employees to identify their perspective on the issue and gather suggestions on what should be done. He or she would then consider these suggestions in equal measure and enact them where necessary.
Example of an Ethical Leader
Melissa Reiff, the CEO of The Container Store, is a great example of an ethical leader. One crucial aspect identified of such a leader is their ability to communicate ( Schwantes, 2017) . One of her strong suits as an ethical leader is the types of communication she engages in. her belief is that communication is leadership and therefore strives to engage in compassionate, courteous, consistent, thoughtful, reliable and effective communication at all levels in the organization ( Schwantes, 2017) .
Example of a Servant Leader
David K. Williams, the CEO and chairman of the Fishbowl, is a clear-cut example of a servant leader. Fishbowl is an organization that engages in the manufacturing and management of solutions for QuickBooks and it stands as a leader in its market ( Schwantes, 2017) . As a servant leader, Williams demonstrates servant leadership through humanitarian efforts carried out through the Courage Above Mountains Foundation. The foundation, developed as a dedication to his son Cameroon who died of cancer at twenty-five, engages in the provision of free health, learning and enrichment services to underserved populations in America and around the world ( Schwantes, 2017) . He also encourages his employees to engage in activities beneficial to the community including helping vulnerable groups such as veterans, single mothers, children and much more.
Example of an Authentic Leader
Steve Jobs remains as influential as he was when at the helm of Apple Inc. even in his absence. He was an authentic leader and was ready to reveal aspects about himself and his life that other famous and successful leaders may have chosen to keep secret or to lie about. Jobs openly expressed that he had never graduated from college despite being the leader of a technology giant such as Apple. One would expect that a leader at the helm of such an organization is well-educated and possess many if not all the educational qualifications he or she should have. Nonetheless, Jobs did not have these and he did not fake them or lie that he did. He chose to be candid and express that he had not graduated from college.
Example of a Spiritual Leader
Barry Garapedian, the managing director at Morgan Stanley presents a good example of a servant leader. Garapedian practices and encourages the holistic development of all those he leads and often encourages them to create time to work on their spiritual well-being, their physical-health and their relationships outside of the workplace ( Lindberg n.d.) . This helps provide employees with a conducive environment to grow in a holistic manner.
Scriptural Connection
The leadership practices portrayed by all four leadership styles are supported by various scriptural evidence. Many of the skills elicited by these leaders support others to some extent thus connect with the Bible easily. For instance, Matthew 20:26 calls for individuals who want to be leaders to first become servants. This demonstrates what is required of a servant leader who needs to put the needs of others and service before personal gain. Proverbs 29:14 advocates for fairness in judgement prescribed by leaders, for the legacy of such leaders stays intact. This is in accordance to the tenets of ethical leadership that calls for leaders to exercise ethical practices such as justice and fairness ( Copeland, 2016) . The Bible further encourages leaders to see strength in those they lead. Philippians 2:3 requires that leaders are not selfish and should not focus on impressing others. Rather, they should work on being humble and thinks as equally or better placed than them. This is in agreement to the tenets of authentic leadership where such a leader would consider the input of those he or she leads as similarly important and provides equal ground for everyone in decision-making and the implementation of solutions ( Copeland, 2016) . James 1:5 requires that leaders seek spiritual counsel in their engagements. In instances where they lack wisdom, they need to seek God as He will fulfill what they need spiritually. This represents one of the propositions of spiritual leadership. An individual should strive to grow spiritually through seeking spiritual guidance. A spiritual leader would therefore ensure that he or she develops him or herself spiritual through seeking counsel with God and encouraging those he leads to do the same.
Overall, leadership takes varied forms including ethical, authentic, spiritual and servant leadership. All these forms of leadership are unique in their right and provide individuals with the necessary tools and skills to be effective in their roles. Further, they exhibit immense connections to the Bible and therefore hold spiritual foundations.
References
Copeland, M. K. (2014). The emerging significance of values-based leadership: A literature review. International journal of leadership studies , 8 (2), 105.
Copeland, M. K. (2016). The impact of authentic, ethical, transformational leadership on leader effectiveness. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics , 13 (3), 79.
Lindberg, C. Spiritual Leadership - What is it? Pros/Cons? Examples? - Leadership Ahoy! . Leadership Ahoy!. Retrieved 11 May 2021, from https://www.leadershipahoy.com/spiritual-leadership-what-is-it-pros-cons-examples/.
Schwantes, M. (2017). The World's 10 Top CEOs (They Lead in a Totally Unique Way) . Inc.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021, from https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/heres-a-top-10-list-of-the-worlds-best-ceos-but-they-lead-in-a-totally-unique-wa.html.
